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Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath

One of the central conflicts between the Pharisees and Jesus concerned the Sabbath: the Pharisees focused on outward appearances, while Jesus focused on an inner transformation that led to obedience to God. Examining their debate, Alistair Begg helps us understand the difference between the burdensome legalism of human-made rules and the joyful freedom of God’s Sabbath commandment.

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

1On a Sabbath,1 while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.2But some of the Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?”3And Jesus answered them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:4how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?”5And he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.”

A Man with a Withered Hand

6On another Sabbath, he entered the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was withered.7And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might find a reason to accuse him.8But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come and stand here.” And he rose and stood there.9And Jesus said to them, “I ask you, is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?”10And after looking around at them all he said to him, “Stretch out your hand.” And he did so, and his hand was restored.11But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Series: The Sabbath

Other messages in: The Sabbath

Many of us give little thought to how we spend the Lord’s Day. In fact, any attempt at maintaining the sanctity of the Sabbath is often seen as nothing more than religious legalism. So what are we to do with this day of rest? In these studies, Alistair Begg helps us examine the contemporary Christian Sabbath and consider the possibility that our theology has been replaced with expediency in regard to this issue. If we cannot disregard the other commandments, then we cannot ignore the fourth either. Rather, we must humbly accept God's design in providing the Sabbath as a gift that provides benefits when we approach it out of conviction and obedience to God.

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Truth For Life is the teaching ministry of Alistair Begg and is committed to teaching the Bible with clarity and relevance so that unbelievers will be converted, believers will be established, and local churches will be strengthened.